Rubber heel



Jan. 3, 1939.

, A. HANNABACH RUBBER HEEL Filed Feb. 8, 1933 INVENIUR.

NNABAZ'H "MW ADAM HA A TTORNEYS.

?atented ion. a, gas

2,142,244 RUBBER near. Adam Hannabach, Pittsburgh, Pa.

- Application February 3, 1938, Serial No. 188,496

.13 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in treads for footwear, and' more particularly to what are commonly known as rubber heels.

My invention generally has in view to provide a a rubber heel having supporting and friction portions properly related to the structure of the human foot so as to give healthful and comfortable support with adequate protection against slipping on wet or icy surfaces. u) I further contemplate in such a heel, a shockabsorbing construction preventing injury to the foot as when running or jumping, and have likewise provided for resiliently supporting and anchoring the heel bone for normal, healthful and i5 comfortable action.

n It is a further aim hereof to provide a heel construction having due regard for the regions of greatest wear, so as to retain the above features of the heel as the same is worn.

Other objects are to provide a heel of the character'stated which may be trimmed without impairing the supporting and frictional qualities thereof, whereby a single heel size may be utilized for several sizes of shoes, and to provide of Fig. 1, particularly illustrating the friction] means as when the heel is attached;

Fig; 5, a longitudinal section taken on the line I V--V of Fig. 1, showing the attached heel in initial contacting position, as when" walking;

Fig. 6, a rear elevational view of the heel detached; and Fig. 7, a bottom plan view of a modified form of heel.

Referring to the drawing, 2 designates generallya shoe tread or heel of rubber or other suitable resilient composition, having the conventional outer edge contour 3 and breast 4, The upper or inner face I of the heel is preferably originally concave as shown in Fig. 3, and has embedded or adhesively secured therein an attaching plate 8 of leather, flber or other suitable material, one function of the plate is to act as a retainer for the usual attaching nails '8, as indicated in Fig. 4.

In attaching the heel to a shoe, the nails 1 are applied through provided holes 8 in the heel body, and are driven through the plate 6 into the heel portion 8 of a shoe, the latter having a substantially flat receiving surface to, whereby the surface 5 of the rubber heel 2 is drawn down tightly against the surface l0. Upon application the heel 2 is cupped or formed with a complemental concavity in the outer bottom or ground contacting surface H of the heel, forming a marginal rim or tread portion l2 providing means for resistance to slipping on wet or icy surfaces. I,

In the act of walking, it is known that the shoe heel on a normal foot initially contacts the ground or pavement at the outer and rearward marginal edges. Hence, these portions or regions of the heel are subjected to greatest wear, and in order to compensate for the wear, I prefer to locate the concavity of the face 5, plate '6 and nail holes 8 in an eccentric manner with respect to the center of th heel. thus providing on the ground gripping face of the heel, a complemental eccentrically disposed concavity and forming greater contacting areas in the marginal rim I! at the regions of greatest wear. In so doing, I provide my heels as right" and left" heels, with the regions of extra wearing surface at the outer side or edge portions longitudinaly of the heels, and in addition. provide an extra size portion at the rear of the heels. Thus, the drawing illustrates a "right heel having larger wearing portions on I the right of the longitudinal center of the heel and at the rear thereof.

An important feature of my invention resides 'in the provision, at the said rear 'wearing region of the heel, of an integral raised portion ll, preferably in the form of a wedge-shaped member extending angularly across the rear and partially 40 along-the outer side portion of the bottom surface of the heel, and inclined inwardly of the heel to have decreasing height inwardly from the rear outer edge l5, meetingthe plane of the outer bottom surfaceof the heel along an angularly disposed line It. For example, .the maximum height at the rear edge I! should be at least one-eighth of an inch and a flat wedge formed therefrom inwardly to the line I. As shown in Fig. 6, the rear outer edge I! merges into the edge ll-in a curved manner.

The point of maximum height of tne member I4 is located at the point of initial contact of the heel with the ground or pavement as indicated in Fig.5, and receives the initial shock, the-"edge ll thereof serving as an initial friction means to prevent slipping prior to the complete contact of the heel with the ground surface. The terminal line it of the member or portion is in the plane of the heel bottom surface preferably passes substantially directly under the point of contact a of the heelbone of the foot of the wearer, whereby during the act of walking, the said bone is resiliently supported with the rubber heel portion therebeneath out of direct contact with the ground surface.

In this manner, the heel bone is protected against shock and is resiliently supported in a manner permitting the said bone to become somewhat embedded or anchored in the heel pad of the shoe structure therebeneath, making for extremely comfortable and healthful support. The inclined wedge portion is likewise affects a weight distribution through the heeland foot to provide support at the forward portion of the heel, preventing any tendency of the frontal portion of the bone structure of the human heel to be unduly lowered during severe stress, as when running or Jumping- In this connection also, it will be noted that the hollow plate or frame I provides a central resilient portion II, which is disposed directly beneath the axis of the leg and foot of the wearer, thus providing a resilient support beneath the axis and therefore directly beneath the line of weight application to the foot, permitting free comfortable foot action without danger of strain.

For added frictional engagement with the ground, I prefer to provide a series of radiating grooves, including grooves II on the inner side of the heel, and grooves II on the outer side. Grooves II are preferably of uniform depth and extend outwardlythrough the edge e of the heel,

whereas grooves II are less in number and di-' minish from a maximum depth at their inner ends outwardly to merge into the surface I I without extending through the edge 3 of the heel. The use of a minimum number of grooves II on the outer side portion of greatest wear, and terminating such grooves short of 'the outer edge, increases the wear resistant qualities of the heel, tending to provide more even wear with the other side heel portion having a greater number of The radiating disposition of the grooves II and is permits the location of the nail holes 8 therevarious sizes, as indicated by the dotted lines in Hg. 2, without materially effecting the form function of these parts. In this manner, a or blank may be formed of sufficient original to permit the application thereof to a numof aiaes of shoes.

7 illustrates a modified form of the invenwherein the grooves Ila and Ila are shortto provide a nailing frame section Ii between inner ends and a central tread portion 22. this means the manufacturer may vary the spacing of the nail holes to in the frame as desired, and provide its monogram or other design As has been pointed out, the heels herein described are made in "rights and lefts in accordance with their enlarged wear portions and the wedge portions is. In this connection, the latter feature of the heel possesses orthopedic properties in certain cases. For example, when.

desired elevation of the heel bone at the inner.

side of the foot to restore proper balance.

I claim:

1. A rubber heel having in the bottom surface thereof an eccentrically disposed concavity and marginal wear portions, the said marginal portions having greater area at the regions of great- 'er wear of the heel than at other marginal portions, the concavity of the bottom surface extending continuously between the marginal portions with the central portion thereof normally disposed in a plane above that of the marginal poi-- tions.

2. A rubber heel having in the bottom surface thereof an eccentrically disposed concavity and marginal wear portions, the said marginal portions having greater area at the rear portion of the heel than at other marginal portions, the concavity'of the bottom surface being centrally unsupported with reference to the plane of contact of the marginal portions.

3. A rubber heel having in the bottom surface thereof an eccentrically disposed concavity and marginal wear portions, the said marginal portions having greater area at the rear portion and at one side of the heel than at other marginal portions, the concavity of the bottom surface extending continuously between the marginal portions, and being centrally unsupported with reference to the plane of contact of the marginal porti (Ill.

4. A rubber heel having a concave upper shoeengaging surface, a plate secured to said surface for nailing therethrough, whereby when the heel is applied to the flat surface of a shoe with the concave surface drawn toward the shoe surface by nailing, a complements! concavity is formed in the bottom outer surface together with marginal wear portions, said plate being eccentrically located to provide larger marginal wear portions at the rear and one side of the heel.

5. A rubber heel having a concave bottom surface, a raised inclined portion on said surface disposed at the rear of the heel, said portion having decreasing height inwardly of the heel from the outer edge thereof and terminating inwardly of the heel at the region normally located immediately below the point of heel bone contact of the wearer.

6. A rubber heel having a concave bottom surface, a raised inclined portion on said surface disposed at the rear of the heel, said portion having decreasing height inwardly of the heel from the outer edge thereof and terminating inwardly of the heel along an angularly disposed line normally passing beneath the point of heel bone contact of the wearer.

7. A rubber heel having the bottom surface thereof formed with an eccentrically disposed concavity providing larger marginal wear. portions at the rear and one side of the heel, and a raised inclined portion on the said rear portion of the bottom surface having decreasing height inwardly of the heel from the outer edge thereof.

8. A rubber heel having in the bottom surface thereof an eccentrically disposed concavity forming enlarged marginal wear portions at the rear and one side of the heel, a plurality of out- Is wardly radiating grooves formed in the said bottom surface along the other side of the heel, a plurality of outwardly radiating grooves formed in said side wear portion, the latter grooves being less in number than those along the outer side of the heel.

9. A rubber heel having in the bottom surface thereof an eccentrically disposed concavity forming enlarged marginal wear portions at the rear and one side of the heel, a plurality of outwardly radiating grooves formed in the said bottom surface along the other side of the heel, a plurality of outwardly radiating grooves formed in said side wear portion, the latter grooves being less in number than those along the other side of the heel, and a raised inclined portion on the said rear wear portion of the heel.

10. A rubber heel having in the bottom surface thereof an eccentrically disposed concavity forming enlarged marginal wear portions at the rear and one side of the heel, aplurality of outwardly radiating grooves formed in the said bottom surface along the other side of the heel, a

plurality of outwardly radiating grooves formed in said side wear portion, the grooves in the said side wear portion having dec depth outwardly of the heeland being less in number than those along the other side of the heel, and a raised inclined portion on the said rear" wear portion of the heel.

12. A rubber heel having a wedge-shaped member at the rear of the bottom surface thereof. said member having the rearmost portion thereof a height depending belowother portions of the bottom surface of the heel.

13. A rubber heel having a wedge-shaped member at the rear'of the bottom surface thereof,

said member having the rearmost portion therea of of a. height depending below other-portions of the bottom surface of the heel. the wedgeshaped member gradually dec in height from said rearmost portion toward and merging with the bottom surface of the heel.

mm masses. 

